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Magnitude:
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22
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Abs Mag:
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29
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Beisel Rating:
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3.74 (Class 4)
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Height:
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157 feet
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Tallest Drop:
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---
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# of Drops:
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---
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Type:
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cascades
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Stream:
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Mollys Brook
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Latitude:
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44.3584
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Longitude:
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72.3334
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Maps:
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USGS Marshfield 7
1/2"
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Aerial Photography
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Delormes:
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47 K12
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Marshfield ,
Washington County,
VT ,
USA
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The problem with Mollys Falls is in locating the falls. With a total drop of 157', you would think it would be obvious, but that isn't the case. A fellow waterfall enthusiast, Peter Chapin, found the 6' ledge on the Winooski River (this drop has been dubbed "Power Plant Falls") and thought that was it. The USGS topo maps don't show a hash mark indicating the location of the falls. I've seen old postcards that show a long cascade on a nearly open hillside, and figured that finding the falls ought to be easy. That isn't the case. You can't hear the roar of the falls over the noise from the 4' drop immediately adjacent to the power station. In order to find Mollys Falls, you need to know two things: 1) the river forks downstream of the power station and the falls are upstream on the other fork, and 2) the area around the falls is now completely overgrown with forest. In the 90 years since the photos on the postcards were taken, the forest has overgrown the hillside surrounding the falls. From the bottom up, the falls are short cascades that increase in steepness as you progress up the slope adjacent to the falls. Without any real difficulty, you can make your way to the edge of the falls in several places. The terrain becomes very steep as you approach the upper reaches of the falls, then suddenly levels at the top. Above the falls, Mollys Brook flows through the culvert below Route 2. This one is best approached from below however.
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The falls drop over the Waits River Limestone, and a granitic plutonic remnant.
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There are a few scenic points in the falls. A couple of the lower cascades can be somewhat photogenic as can be the uppermost drop. You'll want a tripod, a polarizer, and a warming filter. The falls face northwest and are more open at the top. Sun can be an issue here, so overcast days are best, although sweet light might be interesting. You should be able to cover all shots with a 28-80mm lens.
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Take Route 2 into Marshfield and turn north on Route 215. In about 3/4 of a mile, look for a small dirt road leading to a powerhouse. Park in the lot and cross the bridge leading to the powerhouse. Walk around the powerhouse to the right and cut through the woods. In a few hundred feet, you'll come to Mollys Brook. Follow the brook upstream to the falls.
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